Original Painting of a Navajo Rug Weaving Session [SOLD]

In 1951, an arts silk-screen printing business called Tewa Enterprises, was started in Santa Fe by

Charles Barrows, a silkscreen printer, and Harrison Begay, the well-known Navajo painter. Tewa’s mission was to hand silk-screen reproductions of Navajo and Pueblo paintings and make them available to a wide audience at low prices.  Subsequently, the current owner, Cathie Sullivan purchased Tewa Enterprises.

Beginning in the early 1930s, Dorothy Dunn of the Santa Fe Indian School helped many talented Native American youths study painting, encouraging them to work within the themes of their own tribal cultures. Many of the most popular images that Tewa printed came from the work of these artists. Harrison Begay, Gerald Nailor and Allan Houser studied at the School and Tewa printed from many of their fine paintings.

Silk-screening requires an original work of art from which to make prints.  These original paintings were retained in Tewa’s archive.  Now, Tewa has begun to release these original paintings to the market.  This original painting by Harrison Begay was used to make silkscreen prints.  The painting was completed in the early 1950s and silkscreens were printed immediately and continued for years.  Hundreds, maybe thousands, of silkscreen prints were made from this painting.  Now, the original painting is available and we are proud to offer it.  Tewa Enterprises is no longer in operation.

Condition: original condition

Recommended Reading: Southwest Indian Painting: A Changing Art by Clara Lee Tanner

Provenance: from the archives of Tewa Enterprises